Court temporarily blocks Trump from suspending refugee resettlement program
The Trump administration faced a setback on Tuesday as a federal court issued a temporary block on suspending a refugee resettlement program. The ruling came as a result of a lawsuit filed by a group of nonprofits that receive federal funds to provide social services for refugees in the United States.
During a court hearing, a judge in Seattle issued an injunction ordering the Trump administration to reinstate its contracts with refugee agencies. Following this, a three-judge panel from the Ninth Circuit court directed the administration to continue processing applications that were initiated prior to January 20.
President Donald Trump had signed an executive order on his first day in office, suspending refugee resettlement and instructing the Department of Homeland Security to assess whether resuming resettlement would be in the country’s best interests within 90 days.
The court’s ruling stated that individuals who were conditionally approved for refugee status by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services before January 20 should not be affected by the preliminary injunction. The order clarified that Executive Order No. 14163 does not revoke refugee status for individuals who were granted that status before the specified date.
The case was brought by several refugee groups, including the International Refugee Assistance Project, HIAS, and Lutheran Community Services Northwest, along with individual refugees. These organizations argued that their ability to provide services to refugees had been compromised by the Trump administration’s order.
President Joe Biden, on the other hand, has taken steps to increase refugee admissions, including raising the refugee cap. This move marks a shift from the previous administration’s efforts to limit both illegal and legal immigration.
Overall, the court’s decision to block the suspension of the refugee resettlement program is a significant development in the ongoing debate over immigration policies in the United States. It underscores the importance of upholding the rights and protections of refugees seeking safety and security in the country.
